Inclined surface reaction-type game board

ABSTRACT

An action game device of box-like structure, having a sloping floor on which a gamepiece is caused to roll from the highest point of an area not open to view, into and through an exposed middle area open to sight and touch, into the lowest and unexposed area-unless the player is able to physically grasp the gamepiece during the split second in which it rushes through the exposed field. Beyond its obvious play value, the invention is designed to develop eye ear and hand coordination.

United States Patent [1 1 Ames [54] INCLlNED SURFACE REACTION-TYPE GAME BOARD [76] Inventor: Alvin G. Ames, P.O. Box 11191,

San Diego, Calif. 92111 [22] Filed: Feb. 25, 1971 [21] Appl. NoJ: 118,733

[52] US. Cl ..273/l20 R, 273/119 R 273/1 R [51] Int. Cl. ..,...A63d 3/02 [58] Field of Search ..273/108,l20, 118,119

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Achen ..273l120 R Nadeau et al. .....273/95 C Jan.23, 1973 Primary Examiner-Richard C. Pinkham Assistant Examiner-Theatrice Brown Attorney-Richard G. Wynne and John A. Finken [57] ABSTRACT 2 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures INCLINE!) suamcs REACTION-TYPE GAME noAan DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a game device comprising a box-like structure, havinga sloping floor or platform, the highest area being covered or hidden ,by aroof, the middle area being an open field exposed for use by the player, and the lowest section being covered by a roof. Round objects such as balls or marbles are used as gamepieces. Space between the floor andthe roof is adequatefor free movement of the gamepieces.

Unlike prior art, this invention, in addition to its ob-- vious entertainment value, is designed to develop physical and mental abilities including eye-ear-andhand coordination; places a premium on memory development in connection with constantly changing situations; and allows and requires physical contact with the gamepieces. Split-second decision-making is necessary because certain gamepieces are to be captured while othersmust be avoided. .A penalty 12, The upper roof serving as a cover should be aboutv S'inches deep, the'open middle field about 3 inches,

and the'lowest segment-fanother roof serving as a cover-about 3 inches. An inch is allowed for an optional scoring rack.

In the simplest device a hole would be provided in the roof atthehighe'st point of the inclined floor. The preferred device, however, would contain one or two magazines for containing a plurality of gamepieces.

I Beneath the upper cover are positioned a plurality of studs or posts, the purpose of which is to alter the course taken by the gamepieces, so that the player cannot determine, with certainty where the rolling gamepiece will emerge.

Magazine feed is recommended because it provides employment of various-strategies in play. Varying values may be. ascribed to gamepieces of different color. Thus it becomes important for a player to know when, for instancefa penalty gamepiece is due-one which he must refrain from capturing. In a long magazine a window, a small opening,- is provided near mid-pointfor checking and subsequent counting.

While ajkicker device may be used for releasing a gamepiece, a shot is neither purposeful or desirable. A kicker serves little purpose other than to keep the gamepieces in position when the game device is moved about. The number of gamepieces needed is one more thanthe number required to fill the magazines, the extra gamepiece being needed for pushing all of the gamepieces in the magazine upward 'and forward, which action releases theygainepiece used in the next play.=

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a prospectiveview showing the amusement devicein accordance with the preferred embodiment,

top view, asviewed byplayers.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the device.

FIG. 3 is identical with FIG. 1 with the exception that gamepiece into play.

FIG. 7 shows another optional device for bumping a gamepiece into play.

FIG. 8 shows a bar, an optional accessory, which can easily be pushed into position to increase the lower unexposed area while decreasing the area exposed for play.

Cover 11 deprives a player from physical access to gamepieces and prevents specific knowledge as to where a gamepiece will emerge. Cover 12 prevents physical access to any-gamepiece which eludes the player during its course through the open field. Floor 13 has the outside dimensions of the entire game device as illustrated in FIG. 3. It is built on ,a slope of approximately 12 as illustrated in FIG. 4. Gamepiece 14 is positioned at the feed end of the magazine. When gamepiece 15 is pushed into the magazine, gamepiece 14 will roll upwards, as will all gamepieces above it, and the topmost gamepiece will start its downward journey.

Item 16 is a magazine loaded with nine gamepieces. Stud l7 is oneof six used in the particular design used in FIG. 3. The studs cause the gamepieces to alter their course one or more times. Riser 18 is an elevated ridge designed to keep gamepieces in the magazine until the top gamepiece is forcefully pushed over the riser and thereby released. Rack 19 offers a method of keeping score. Opening 20 in FIG. 4 shows how and why a gamepiece, if pushed into the opening of the magazine, will cause all other gamepieces to advance.

Gamepiece 21 is located in the hopper of a long magazine. Window 22 is an opening permitting players to take account of the color, for instance, of gamepieces as they move upward.

A slight hollow or depression 23, in the floor, catches and holds a gamepiece in proper position so that pusher 24 can send it into play. Spring 25 keeps pusher within the desired shuttling range...

Kicker 26 is attached to the floor by a bolt 27. A light tension spring 28 keeps kicker in neutral position. Stud 29 limits the turning arc of the kicker. Riser 30 causes gamepiece 31 to rest in position to be accepted by the kicker when a player turns the kicker slightly counterclockwise by means of the upwardly protruding knob 32. When a player releases the knob, spring 28 will cause the kicker to send the gamepiece into play. I Bar 33 in FIG. Sis an optional addition which, if attached to the game device, will reduce the size of the open field. The bar is kept firmly in position by protrusions 34 which are attached to the bar. The protrusions arenot visible when the bar is attached to the game device.

OPERATION Using any of the types of game devices described, one player, alone, can play meaningfully as, for instance, in determining how high he can score before fouling out or missing. Two or more players can engage in a fair contest in which the winner is the one who first scores the number of points needed to win-the number having been agreed on in advance. A five-point game is recommended for beginners.

Play for beginners. ln contest play one player begins by pushing the extra" gamepiece into the magazine. This drives another gamepiece over the riser to begin its swift journey down the incline. If the player captures it he scores. If he misses it he fails to score. In either event the next player then pushes the newly emerged extra" gamepiece into the magazine. Play continues in this manner until one player wins the needed points. This invention offers the youngster in particular an exciting challenge and a thrilling reward if and when he is successful in capturing a gamepiece-with evidence of success in hand.

Advanced play. If the device has only one magazine the two black gamepieces should be inserted at random with the gamepieces of different colors. A black ball in advanced play is a penalty ball and must be avoided. A player who captures a black gamepiece commits a foul and instead of winning a point he is penalized a point. If the game device has two magazines one black gamepiece should be inserted in each magazine initially. Players in turn have the option of pushing the extra gamepiece into either of the magazines. The player who becomes proficient enough to keep track of the position of the penalty gamepieces by counting and remembering is not likely to foul because he will known when the penalty gamepiece is due. If the device has a long magazine it will also have a small hole serving as a window at a point about half-way up the magazine. This window is a check-point for players who rely on count.

Players may wish to ascribe higher value to the two white gamepieces-two points instead of the usual one point.

Players who have become highly proficient may wish to insert the squeeze bar which reduces the play area, making the game more difficult to play.

Players may wish to score in a see-saw manner. By this method a player wins not after he has scored, let us say, ten points, but after he has scored ten points more than his opponent.

General. A player can improve his chance of success by listening to the roll of the gamepiece to determine approximately where it will emerge.

The invention is a game of skill, employing memory as well as visual and auditory sensibilities in conjunction and in correlation with physical action.

What is claimed as new is:

1. A game device comprising:

a ball;

a sloping floor;

an upper roof positioned above and concealing the upper portion of said sloping floor;

a lower roof positioned above and concealing the lower portion of said sloping floor;

said upper roof and said lower roof defining an unconcealed accessible open field therebetween for visible rolling passage of said ball from under said upper roof to a position under said lower roof; means for enabling introduction of said ball under said upper roof; and

means for changing the direction of movement of the downward rolling ball on said floor as it passes beneath the upper roof to vary the point of emergence of the ball as it enters the top of the unconcealed accessible open field.

2. A game device as defined in claim 1 and including means for feeding one ball at a time to the sloping floor at the upper roof. 

1. A game device comprising: a ball; a sloping floor; an upper roof positioned above and concealing the upper portion of said sloping floor; a lower roof positioned above and concealing the lower portion of said sloping floor; said upper roof and said lower roof defining an unconcealed accessible open field therebetween for visible rolling passage of said ball from under said upper roof to a position under said lower roof; means for enabling introduction of said ball under said upper roof; and means for changing the direction of movement of the downward rolling ball on said floor as it passes beneath the upper roof to vary the point of emergence of the ball as it enters the top of the unconcealed accessible open field.
 2. A game device as defined in claim 1 and including means for feeding one ball at a time to the sloping floor at the upper roof. 